Beethoven String Quartets, Vol. 3: The Early Quartets—Calidore String Quartet/Signum Classics 3 CD set

Release date: 24/01/2025

Catalogue number: SIGCD883

Barcode: 635212088326

Signum Classics

This is the third and final instalment of the Calidore String Quartet’s traversal of the Beethoven String Quartets. I did not review the first volume, The Late Quartets (Feb 2023), but they were a constant on my Apple Music stream. I usually listened to the five quartets as I wrote on my MacBook Pro—I was so engrossed that I often realized I had not written a word in some time. The performances are universally fine, matching tone and technique with other young gun quartets like Dover and Belcea. The quality of the stream of the Signum Classics recording was outstanding, too.

I was sent Vol. 2, The Middle Quartets (Sept 2024) by the father of the quartet’s 1st violinist. James Myers is a stalwart of my YouTube Channel’s Everything Classical Music Livestream. Thank you, James, for your kind consideration and for sending me Vol. 3 The Early Quartets. After I reviewed Vol. 2 and included it in our Recordings of the Year 2024 list, I’ve been waiting for Vol. 1 with anticipation. The Early Quartets will be considered for inclusion on the 2025 Best of List.

The Calidore String Quartet has won many prizes, including the 2016 $100,000 “M Prize” from the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater & Dance. The quartet is resident at The University of Delaware. The Calidore was founded at the Colburn School in Los Angeles in 2010.

The Calidore String Quartet. From L to R Estelle Choi, cello, Jeffrey Myers, violin, Ryan Meehan, violin, Jeremy Berry, viola. Photo credit: Jeffrey Fasano.

I’m not sure of the recording dates for each quartet, but the consistency of tone, style and interpretation across all the quartets in all three volumes is remarkably rewarding. So with this superb final instalment, we get the same bowing style, precision, incision and beauty of tone. Rhythmically, the quartet’s players bring great excitement necessary in the quartets and with a broad range of dynamics. You can stream a “single” from the set now on Apple Music, the “Prestissimo” from String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 18 No. 4, and in those perfect few minutes, you’ll hear examples of all the qualities I’ve mentioned (see photo below).

The final page of the “Prestissimo” finale of Quartet No. 4 (1801). Notice the myriad marks of expression Beethoven uses—we’re not in Haydn’s world anymore. The Calidore players execute each one beautifully, from the staccato (meaning detached, not short) half-notes played with such vigour to the plethora of Beethoven’s favourite marking, sf (sforzando indicates a forceful accent). In the final 14 bars, we are given a masterclass in string articulation.

From the opening notes of the first quartet, you’ll hear carefully chosen phrasing that occurs throughout the set. It is devoid of artifice—just natural-sounding phrases that tell of four players in sync. This is their style throughout The Early Quartets.

Technically, the Calidore seem to be stronger with every new release. Intonation is spot on, and there are very few slips of ensemble.

As I wrote about the recording of Vol. 2, the sound is as consistent as the performances—detailed and dynamic but capturing the warmth the quartet brings to the great music. The quartet, in standard seating, is spread naturally across the stage, and there is some nice depth and spot-on imaging to the recording.

The set was recorded at Gore Recital Hall, University of Delaware. It’s a lively, resonant space captured almost perfectly by the Signum engineers.

So, it is a wonderful conclusion to a magnificent, modern traversal of what many consider to be the greatest chamber music ever written. If you don’t have a full set of the quartets, the Calidore set shines brightly among the many for its consistency, virtuosity, musicality and dynamic, detailed Signum Classics’ sound. Very highly recommended.